The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Interventions Testing Program (ITP) was established to test compounds purported to extend lifespan and/or delay the onset of disease and disability. The NIA ITP tests such compounds in mice, using a variety of measured endpoints to assess the efficacy of interventions. There are three sites that perform the testing, one at the University of Michigan, one at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center-San Antonio, and one at the Jackson Laboratory. It is anticipated that approximately 5 compounds will be accepted for study in 2019.

The ITP is a collaborative effort between the study sites and the sponsors who recommend interventions for study. The sponsor’s role is to provide the rationale for investigating the intervention, make recommendations on the dose, route and timing for administration of the intervention, and propose assays and measurements to document the efficacy of the intervention. The sponsor will have access to all data developed from the treated mice, will assist in analysis of the data and will be a co-author on resulting publications. Sponsors' proposals for specific interventions are reviewed by an Access Panel and accepted protocols are prioritized by the ITP Steering Committee.